Improvement in needle setters and threaders for sewing-machines



FICE.'

JOHN DIXIE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN NEEDLE SETTERS ANDTHREADERS FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification'forming part of Letters Patent No. 115051,12, dated May 5, 1874 c application filed April 23, 1874.

'vented an Improved Sewing-MachineNeedle Setter and Threader, of Which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to facilitate the setting and threading of sewing-machine needles by the instrument illustrated in the exterior View, Figure l, and enlarged sectional views, Figs. 2 and 3, of the accompanying drawing, the principal features of the said instrument being a case, A, having a slitted tubular projection, a, and an adjustable gage, b, and Vcontaining two rods, d and c, acted on by springs, tending to force them in contrary directions.

The tubular projection a consists, in the present instance, of a strip ofsheet metal, bent to the form best observed in Fig. 3, and secured to the opposite sides Aof the case A of the instrument. The rod d has a V-shaped head or enlargement, d', which is contained within this tubular projection, 'a spring, f, tending to force the rod outward, as indicated by thc arrow.

The rod e is guided partly by thc case and partly by the lower slitted portion of the head d of the rod d, by which means the two rods are maintained iu the definite positions, in respect to each other, demanded by the successful operation of the instrument. (See enlarged views, Figs. 4C and 5.)

The rod c is manipulated by means of a knob, g, which extends through a slot in the casing, and is attached to a spring, h, connected to the said rod c, and tending to draw it back from the tubular projection a, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

The lower front edge of the head d is'rabbeted, as shown at i in Figs. 4 and 5, and the tubular projection c has a diagonal slot extending from top to bottom, as shown at j, Fig. 6, for a purpose explained hereafter.

In using the instrument, it is held between the thumb and finger of one hand, While with the other hand the operator introduces the point of thc needle X into the tubular projection a, and forces it downward through the same, the head d of the spring-rod d yielding to the downward passage of the needle, but serving at the same time to hold the said needle in any position to which it may be adjusted. The needle is now turned between the thumb vand linger until its groove a: is brought opposite the V-shaped edge of the head d', which, owing to the action of the spring f, will enter said groove, and thus prevent any further turning movement of thel needle. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) A slight out ward pressure is neXt applied to the spring- `rod e through the medium of the button g,

and the needle is moved up and down until the said rod passes through its eye, as shown in Fig. 2. The proper lateral and vertical position of the needle having been thus determined,'it is inserted into the needle-arm Z ot' the sewing-machine, against which arm the adjustable gage b is held, as shown in Fig. 2.- rlhe needle is then secured to the arm by the usual set-screw, and the instrument withdrawn, and this completes the setting operation.

In using the instrument for threading sewingmachine needles, the eye of the needle is brought opposite the end of the spring-rod c, a-nd the thread is looped, and drawn up into the rabbet t of the head d, as shown in Fig. 4, so that when the rod e is pushed forward through the eye of the needle, as shown vin Fig. 5, it shall carry the loop with it. After thus passing the thread through the needleeye, the rod e is permitted to recoil, and one end of the thread is drawn through, after which both ends of the thread are passed upward through the slit j in the tubular projection a, and are thus withdrawn from the latter with the needle, as shown in Fig. 6.

I claim as my inventionl. A sewing-machine needle-setter in which are combined a tubular projection, a, a gage, b, and two spring-rods, l and e, the former adapted to the groove, and the latter to the eye of the needle, all substantially as speciiied.

2. The rod e acted on by a spring, tending to force :it in one direction, in combination case of the instrument, all as and for the piu'- With the rod d, acted on by a spring; tending pose described.

to force it in the opposite direction, and hav- In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name ing a V-shaped head, d', slitted for the reeepto this specification in the presence of two subtion and guidance of the said rod e, al1 subseribing Witnesses.

, stantialiy as specified. JOHN DIXIE.

3. The combination of the spring-rod e, the Witnesses: rabbeted and slotted head d of the spring-rod i WM. A. STEEL, d, and the slitted tubular projection aJ 0f the HUBERT HOWSON. 

